PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.- A scoreless six straight innings for Rawlings Stealth Underclass wasn't enough, as DRB Elite Sapp came out on top 3-1. They produced three runs on seven hits from six different batters on Sunday's matchup at the National Team Championships in Florida.
With the win, Elite moves to 3-1-1 on the tournament, putting themselves in a comfortable spot to compete for a gold medal.
Elite got things started plating one run in the top of the first inning. A trio of walks loaded the bases, and two outs later, a single to left from Dylan Strickland scored the first run of the game.
Rawlings Stealth would even things up in the bottom half of the inning. A one out double by Jacob Lojewski was followed by a single that knotted the score at 1-1 after an inning of play.
A scoreless three innings from both sides led to an Elite two spot in the top half of the fifth frame. After a pair of singles to lead off the inning from Nate McCollum and Hudson Sapp, Josh Shuler doubled on a line drive to right that plated both of them, bringing the score to 3-1.
The score would remain at 3-1 after six. In the seventh, Hank Bearden came in relief to force a ground out, followed by two strikeouts to seal the deal.
Shuler proved to be the difference for Elite's offense as he went 1-for-3 at the plate scattering two runs batted in. Strickland also went 2-for-2 with one run batted in.
Brandt Pancer earned the win on Sunday, hurling four innings while allowing one run on seven hits. John Urena, who was given the loss for Rawlings, pitched four innings allowing one run on three hits and five walks.
"I'm real proud of the way they gutted it out today," said head coach Dwayne Sapp. "The difference in the game was timely hits and we kept gutting out at-bats."
DRB Elite Sapp will look to advance to the playoff bracket on Monday and compete for another "W" in the win column.